


crime and punishment

by alexanderlightweight



Series: Words of October 2019 [35]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bookstore, Alternate Universe - Human, Bad Puns, Coffee Shops, First Meetings, Flirting, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Meet-Cute, Mistaken Identity, Misunderstandings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-31
Updated: 2019-10-31
Packaged: 2021-01-15 09:42:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21251342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alexanderlightweight/pseuds/alexanderlightweight
Summary: When the most stunning and gorgeous person you've ever seen asks for your help finding something, you pretend to know what you're doing until it's done.  Then you panic about what comes next.akaMagnus only meant to stop at the bookstore long enough to pick up a present for Madzie's birthday.  However when opportunity arises, you take a chance and hope for the best.





	crime and punishment

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MiriRainbowitz](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiriRainbowitz/gifts).

> the most lovely person on tumblr prompted me: For the meet-cute thing: how about at a library or bookstore?
> 
> this was perfect because it helped me fill my fluff bingo square: coffee

Alec was on his way out of the bookstore when it happened. He’d paused, distracted by a shiny and particularly eye-catching display when a man had nearly bumped into him and Alec had turned, reaching out to catch the man’s arm. 

“Sorry,” Alec said and then grinned sheepishly as the man echoed the sentiment, “you okay?”

“Yes sorry about that.” There was a pause and Alec opened his mouth, maybe to ask a name when the man’s gaze zeroed in on his chest. “Oh, are you busy or could you help me out? I’ve been looking everywhere for an Herbal Almanac but it doesn’t seem to be in your plant and botany section.” 

“Ah I don-“ Alec paused, staring at the man who’d asked him and he swallowed. “What book were you looking for again?” 

“Llewellyn’s Herbal Almanac, the 2013 edition.”

“Right, one second. I have to check something but I’ll be right back, you stay here.” Alec told him and he nearly tripped over a nearby shelf in his haste to get away. Four aisles over he almost ran into another person who he spun around and ducked close to. She laughed, one hand holding her coffee as the other slapped across her mouth and Alec just knew he wasn’t going to hear the end up this one for months.

“Aline,” he whispered, “I need to know where a book is.”

“What?” She almost choked on her laughter, “Alec I thought you were going home? Not that you were going to try to plow me down.”

“Never mind that, a book uh.” He paused, “some sort of Herbal Almanac from 2013, authors name started with an L. Remember that I brought you coffee and lunch and help me out?”

Aline blinked and then shrugged, “seeing as it was both an exceptionally good lunch and much needed coffee, not to mention that it is technically my job, sure.” She pulled out her phone, tapping the information and then nodded, “ok, Llewellyn, was that it?”

Alec bit his lip, “I hope so, probably.” 

“Okay well we do have it. It’s on isle twenty-three, right over there. I can show you.” 

“Nope, I’ve got it. That’s perfect.” Alec promised, “thank you. Also, if you see me again just ignore me and I’ll buy you coffee again next week.” 

It took less than a minute to walk back to the man but Alec felt every second as though it were a minute and he wanted to cringe when he arrived. Nothing terrible had happened in his short absence, the man just looked up at him, a soft smile on his face and oh god, he was so handsome. 

“Right, I just had to check something but I can help you find it now. Follow me?” 

The man nodded but as Alec turned around, he could have sworn he heard a muttered, “anywhere you’d like,” behind him and did his best not to turn around and stare. 

-

Magnus followed, tall dark and probably not-an-employee as his very long legs took Magnus all too quickly to an isle not too far away. Magnus side-eyed the description for the row and curled his lips, ah of course. Holistic living. Well, at least it being in this section meant he hadn’t been lying earlier about not being able to find it.

Alec, as his name-tag helpfully proclaimed him to be, was staring rather blankly at the bookshelf. Magnus would be worried he’d gone into some sort of trance if it weren’t for the quick, glances he shot towards Magnus whenever possible. It was rather adorable and Magnus was having a hard time not giving up on the book and just asking him for his number and a date.

Well, after he checked his hypothesis and figured out if Alec was actually an employee or not. He’d much rather suffer the embarrassment of having been lost for words at seeing Alec, and then zoning in on his name-tag to start a conversation, rather than wasting an actual employees time. Magnus would also admit that the idea that someone actually pretended to be an employee just to help him out was flattering. 

He turned to Alec, wondering again at how to navigate this situation because the book was not being found and caught his gaze. Alec stared back at him for a long moment and then clearly winced, hand coming up to the back of his neck and Magnus watched him tug on his hair as he searched for words.

“You don’t actually work here, do you?” Magnus asked hoping to rescue him from what was about to turn into an awkward silence. 

Alec shook his head, lowering his gaze as he spoke, “no I’m sorry about that, you asked and I guess I ju- oh!” He bent down, pulling out a book with a yellow cover that was the exact shade of the copy Magnus had at home. “Here.” 

Magnus took the book and bit back a grin as _ definitely-not-an-employee _ blushed. “Well then, since you don’t work here, is it too bold to hope I won’t offend you by offering to buy you a coffee as thanks? You did help me find it after all and since you don’t work here, that definitely wasn’t something you needed to do.”

Alec grinned, something soft and slightly relieved as he nodded. “I’d like that, there’s a coffeeshop not too far from here.” 

“Perfect, well let’s go there, now?”

Alec agreed but then paused and his eyes wandered to the book still in Magnus’ hand curiously and Magnus cursed himself.

“Right, after I pay of course. Because I am going to buy this book. Shouldn’t take me long. Wait for me at the front?” 

Alec did wait for him, alleviating the anxious pounding of Magnus’ heart that had told him the man would take the chance to flee. To see him standing there, back against a column, head tilted back as he watched the clouds, it made Magnus’ heart trip over itself. 

The walk to the cafe was a short but informative one. It took Magnus a few stilted moments to realize that Alec still didn’t know his name and a few more for Alec to figure out he was wearing his name-tag. It ended with a good laugh and Alec taking it off, slipping it into his pocket. 

“I’d hate for someone to interrupt us by asking me to make a coffee.” He’d teased and the way he’d said it had been so gentle, as if he were worried his joke would be taken the wrong way that Magnus had been helpless but to fall a little further. 

Magnus had insisted on paying and now here they were, two men staring at each other over coffee and trying to figure out where life was going to take them.

“Is it too forward to say I’m glad for a misunderstanding?” Magnus asked once the atmosphere had settled comfortably, “I’d hate to have our relationship tainted by anything akin to workplace harassment.” 

Alec chuckled, his laughter catching on his whipped cream and he nearly choked as Magnus watched him wheeze in delight. There was something extremely fetching about watching someone in the thrall of true humor and oh, was Magnus smitten by seeing Alec laugh. His nose got the tiniest of scrunches, his eyes crinkled and his lips parted. At the same time his cheeks turned a deep shade of red and his eyes glistened with unshed tears as he tried to catch his breath and Magnus reached over to pat his shoulder, smirk firmly in place. 

“I’ve been told that I take people's breath away, but I never thought they meant it so literally.” 

Alec, who had just grabbed a napkin to dab at his face snorted and he sent Magnus a pleading, desperate look. “Please don’t make me laugh again,” he said, voice deliciously raspy in a way that made Magnus think of long sunny days and warm laughter in a crowd. “I don’t think I’ll make it if you do.”

“That would be a true crime.” Magnus said and then, making sure to wait until Alec was done taking a rejuvenating sip of his drink added, “I’d hate for you to punish me.” 

Alec gave him one mournful look before they both started laughing and idly, in a place tucked away from bad puns and beautiful beginnings, Magnus found he couldn’t help hoping that maybe someday, further down the line. If all of this went well and Alec was someone he could build something with, that admitting he already had a copy of the Llewellyn’s Almanac would also be something they laughed over. 

Hopefully, Catarina would also laugh when Madzie opened a book that definitely hadn't been on her birthday wishlist. 

**Author's Note:**

> i have bad social anxiety but it used to be REALLY bad. I once did something similar to this. It was not because the person was cute however but me panicking. Also I didn’t actually ask for help, I just looked it up on my phone and then found it on the shelf like an idiot. 
> 
> thanks for reading!!
> 
> I'm on tumblr as [alexanderlightweight](https://alexanderlightweight.tumblr.com)


End file.
